Why the Horns will charge past ISU Thursday night

Texas is in the rare national spotlight for a Thursday night game as the Longhorns travel to Iowa State.

It’s still not exactly the best of circumstances. Even with a one-game winning streak, the buzzards haven’t stopped circling the UT program. DeLoss Dodds’ announcement earlier this week of his retirement only seems to herald the inevitable change in coaching at the end of the year.

But Mack Brown still has a few games left. And on Thursday, his team will go against an Iowa State squad that appears tailor-made for the Longhorns’ struggling defense to gain a little confidence.

New coordinator Greg Robinson had a bye week to tweak his defense. ISU quarterback Sam Richardson has had his moments against lesser defenses, but the Longhorns’ group will be the toughest he’s faced this season — even without Jordan Hicks and Steve Edmond for a half.

Aaron Wimberly has provided ISU with a consistent rushing threat. The Longhorns’ rush defense looked atrocious in losses to BYU and Ole Miss. But that should change Thursday night.

Even without David Ash, back-up Case McCoy should have enough to lead the Longhorns to their fifth straight victory in Ames.

Let’s call the Longhorns’ margin of victory 31-20, covering the 7½-point spread on a late touchdown.

And don’t look now, but the Longhorns will be 2-0 in Big 12 play heading into their monumental game against Oklahoma.